Aquinas program offers deaf and hard of hearing endorsement

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Aquinas College, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education, is offering an online program for educators looking to earn an endorsement to teach deaf and hard of hearing students.

The endorsement is being offered through the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consortium, which was created by the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Special Education. Its aim is to fill an “absence of DHH endorsement programs in Michigan,” according to Aquinas.

“This partnership provides a great opportunity for teachers who wish to broaden their teaching credentials and we look forward to building this program,” Nanette Clatterbuck, dean of the School of Education at Aquinas College, said in a statement.

The program, which takes about two years to complete, is for credentialed teachers, according to Aquinas. The first group of students to take part in the program started last fall.

Brian McVicar covers education for MLive and The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at bmcvicar@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter